YouTube has announced that YouTube Music and Premium have surpassed 125 million global subscribers, coinciding with the expansion of Premium Lite to the U.S. market.

Premium Lite, which is already being tested in Thailand, Germany, and Australia, offers ad-free viewing for non-Shorts content, excluding music. Unlike the full Premium subscription ($13.99/month), Premium Lite doesn't include features like downloads or background playback.

Key Points:

• 125 million subscriber milestone includes trials (up from 100 million in January 2024)
• U.S. subscribers account for approximately 9.01 million users (as of September 2024)
• YouTube dominates podcast consumption, reaching 12% of global population in January
• TV has become YouTube's primary consumption format in the United States
• Premium Lite will expand to additional countries throughout the year

The platform's success in podcasting and non-music content has positioned Premium Lite as a strategic offering for users who primarily seek ad-free viewing without music features. This comes as Spotify increasingly incorporates video content, blurring the lines between music and video streaming platforms.

Price variations across markets have led some users to seek lower-cost Premium plans available in different regions, highlighting the importance of competitive pricing for Premium Lite's success in the U.S. market.

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